So much for confidentiality.
Less than three weeks after Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago and Actualidad 1040 AM came to a mediated confidential settlement agreement in that weak defamation lawsuit Vinnie filed last year, and four days after both parties filed a “joint stipulation of dismissal with prejudice,” which reconfirms that confidentiality, Lago goes and tells everybody.
On Tuesday, Lago put the station on blast at a very public city commission meeting during a discussion about the Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center Association — which the city could enter into a legal battle with — just to make a point.
“It’s kind of like my lawsuit against Actualidad Radio,” he said about the need to hire an outside attorney to request the non-profit association’s records (more on that later). “They slander you and say a lie about you, and what you do is, you have to hire an attorney to get an apology letter. Not only do you get an apology letter, you also get a huge payday and also get Mr. Tejera fired from the radio station.”
Read related: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago settles petty defamation case vs Actualidad
He was referring to Roberto Rodriguez Tejera, the veteran Miami journalist who spoke with Gables Commissioner Ariel Fernandez on the Spanish-language “Contacto Directo” morning radio show in February 2023 about an ethics investigation of a possible conflict of interest in the aggressive plan to annex Little Gables and the fact that Lago lied when he dramatically signed an affidavit swearing that nobody in his family had any ties with the unincorporated enclave. It was a frivolous and losing case: His brother was a lobbyist for the largest property owner in Little Gables — which may be in the mayor’s sights again (more on that later) — and there was, indeed, an investigation into both the possible conflict of interest brought on relationship and whether or not Lago intentionally lied.
The Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust closed the matter saying the “information gathered in this matter is not legally sufficient to commence an investigation,” in August of 2023, six months after Rodriguez-Tejera reported on the investigation. The defamation lawsuit was centered on the ridiculous notion that it was really, technically a “matter under initial review,” which all journalist know is just a fancy way to say investigation. The process is the same. The end result, too.
After two years of back and forth — trying to get the Ethics Commission to disclose the anonymous sources of the complaint, serving subpoenas on union leaders, commissioners and journalists — it was suddenly suddenly all over. No more drama.
Or so we thought.
Tuesday’s little tirade may be a violation of the terms of the agreement, which has the word confidential or confidentiality five times in one paragraph in the joint simulation of dismissal.
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Both Lago and Actualidad Media notified the court Aug. 22 that they had “reached a settlement in this matter and entered into a confidential settlement agreement, which was sealed “to preserve confidentiality,” the document reads.
“The parties further stipulate that each party shall bear its own attorneys’ fees and court costs and request that the court retain jurisdiction over this action to resolve any disputes arising out of or relating to the confidential settlement agreement and mutual release executed by the parties.”
Is this going to be one of those disputes? That Lago squealed. From the dais?
Wasn’t the settlement supposed to be amicable? If there had been a “huge payday,” why would the station and Lago’s attorney issue a joint statement that basically said they did nothing wrong?
“Actualidad 1040 AM would like to clarify: On February 27, 2023, it was reported on the Contacto Directo radio show on Actualidad 1040 AM that there was an ethics investigation against Mayor Lago. To clarify, the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust had opened a ‘matter under initial review.’ The matter was opened because unnamed concerned individuals had lodged a confidential ethics complaint against Mayor Lago. After undergoing its internal process, on August 23, 2023 the Ethics Commission determined that the complaint was ‘not legally sufficient to commence an investigation’ and closed the matter. The parties have amicably resolved their dispute, and Mayor Lago has agreed to dismiss his lawsuit.”
That settlement was announced earlier this month, which was less than two months after the first judge recused himself and the case was assigned to Circuit Court Judge Javier Enriquez. From Day 1, Enriquez made it clear he wanted to resolve the case already. Wonder what his honor thinks of Lago’s little nonconfidential rant.
Read related: Judge in Vince Lago’s ‘defamation’ lawsuit suddenly recuses himself
Nevermind that it’s not such a flex for a politician to say he got a journalist fired. Like, maybe in Cuba. But the truth is that Robertico, as his friends call him, is still working at Actualidad. He isn’t doing the same show, but everybody says it was choice to take a break after the November elections. He still hosts a show on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. And he still works with the station’s advertising team as the voice of many local brands.
Rodriguez-Tejera is almost synonymous with Actualidad.
Lyin’ Lago is at it again.
Ladra tried calling Gonzalo Dorta, Lago’s attorney in this civil case. After putting me on hold for a few seconds, his secretary came back to say that Dorta said to have my attorney call him. But there is no case anymore. It was settled. Confidentially.
A public records request was also made to the city for the apology letter, but two sources at the radio station say I won’t get it — because it doesn’t exist. It’s almost a sure bet the “huge payday” doesn’t exist either. In fact, Lago — whose attorneys had taken three big losses in court in the prior month — probably settled with a “you go your way, we go ours” settlement so he wouldn’t have to pay the station’s legal fees later.
So, why is Lago boasting like this? Well, this helps him send a message: Look what I can do. And it has been established that he is a bully. This is nothing more than a veiled threat to try to silence anyone who reports the truth about him. And about the ethics investigation on him in 2023.
Looks like he failed.
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